March 3, 2009 

The Honorable Charles E. Johnson 

Acting Secretary of Health and Human Services 

Department of Health and Human Services 

200 Independence Avenue, S.W. 

Washington, D.C. 20201 

Dear Mr. Secretary: 

The Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker Health (The Board) has 

evaluated Special Exposure Cohort (SEC) Petition 0101 concerning workers 

at the Hood Building in Cambridge, MA, under the statutory requirements 

established by the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation 

Program Act (EEOICPA) and incorporated into 42 CFR Sec. 83.14. The 

Board respectfully recommends Special Exposure Cohort (SEC) status be 

accorded to All employees of the DOE, its predecessor agencies, and their 

contractors and subcontractors who worked in the Hood Building in 

Cambridge, MA, from May 9, 1946 through December 31, 1963, for a number 

of work days aggregating at least 250 work days, occurring either solely 

under this employment or in combination with work days within the 

parameters established for one or more other classes of employees included 

in the SEC. 

This recommendation is based on the following factors: 

• From 1946 though 1963, the Hood Building is classified as a 

Department of Energy (DOE) facility because of research involving 

uranium, thorium, and beryllium performed by both the Massachusetts 

Institute of Technology (MIT) and Nuclear Metals, Inc. (NMI), 

personnel. 

• NIOSH lacks sufficient information, which includes dosimetry data, 

workplace monitoring data, and source term data, to allow it to 

estimate with sufficient accuracy the potential internal exposures to 

enriched uranium and thorium to which the proposed class may have 

been subjected. The Board concurs with this determination. 

ADVISORY BOARD ON RADIATION AND WORKER HEALTH

4676 Columbia Parkway, MS: C-46 

Cincinnati, Ohio 45226

(513) 533-6825

CHAIRMAN:

Paul L. Ziemer, Ph.D. 

 Lafayette, Indiana 

MEMBERS:

Josie Beach 

 Richland, Washington 

Bradley P. Clawson 

 Rexburg, Idaho 

Michael H. Gibson 

 Franklin, Ohio 

Mark A. Griffon 

 Salem, New Hampshire 

James E. Lockey, M.D. 

 Cincinnati, Ohio 

James M. Melius, M.D., Ph.D. 

 Albany, New York 

Wanda I. Munn 

 Richland, Washington 

John W. Poston, Sr., Ph.D. 

 College Station, Texas 

Robert W. Presley 

 Seymour, Tennessee 

Genevieve S. Roessler, Ph.D. 

 Elysian, Minnesota 

Phillip Schofield 

 Bosque Farm, New Mexico 

STAFF:

EXECUTIVE SECRETARY:

Theodore M. Katz, MPA 

 Atlanta, Georgia 

COMMITTEE MANAGEMENT :

Zaida Burgos 

 Atlanta, Georgia 
The Honorable Charles E. Johnson March 3, 2009

 

 

• NIOSH reviewed evidence that indicates some workers in the proposed class may have 

accumulated chronic radiation exposures through intakes of uranium and thorium and from 

direct exposure to radioactive materials. Therefore, NIOSH determined that health may have 

been endangered for the workers exposed to radiation at this facility during the covered time 

period. The Board concurs with this determination. 

Based on these considerations, and on the discussions and deliberations at our February 18, 

2009 Board meeting, the Board recommends that this Special Exposure Cohort petition be 

granted. 

Enclosed is supporting documentation from the recent Advisory Board Meeting held in 

Albuquerque, New Mexico, where this Special Exposure Cohort class was discussed. The 

documentation includes transcripts of the deliberations, copies of the petition, and the NIOSH 

review thereof, and related documents distributed by NIOSH. If any of these items are 

unavailable at this time, they will follow shortly. 

 Sincerely, 

 

 Paul L. Ziemer, Ph.D. 

 Chair 

Enclosure 

 

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